Car-coupling.



PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906.

G. A. HBRMANSON.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLIOATION FILED 0,012 30. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906. G. A. HERMANSON.

GAR COUPLING.

v APPLIUATION FILED OUT. 30. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 7 2

35 l the transverse passage-way of the knuckle 3 NITED STATES QPATENTOFFICE.

GUSTAF A. HERMANSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES MUNTON, OFMAYWOOD, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1906.

Application filed October 30,1905. Serial No. 284,987.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUsTAF A. HERMAN- SON, a citizen of theUnitedStates, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in car-couplers.

The object of my invention is to provide a car-coupler of a simple,efficient, and durable construction composed of the fewest possibleparts and each of a simple plain form caable of being easily cast ormanufactured which will properly perform all necessary or requiredfunctions, including the setting or supporting of the lock in positionfor coupling and also in position for uncoupling and the automaticthrowing of the knuckle open and which at the same time will affordgreat additional security and safety over the couplers heretofore in usein case the pivot-pin breaks or becomes lost or mischievously removed.

My invention consists in the means I employ for accomplishing the aboveobjects or resultsthat is to say, it consists in a coupler of theordinary Master Car-Builders type in connection with the forkeddraw-head of a knuckle pivotally connected thereto and having its reararm or tail furnished with a transversely-extending slot or passage-way,and an upwardly-extending incline or cam, and a vertically-movable lockprovided with an integral knuckle-throwing leg fitting in tail, andhaving a foot or projection adapted to engage the upward incline or camon the knuckle-tail, and thus throw the knuckle open when the lock islifted to the required extent.

It further consists, in connection with these parts, in having theknuckle-throwing cam or incline on the knuckle-tail on the pivot-pinside of the transversely-extending slot to thus bring such cam orincline nearer the pivot or center of motion of the knuckle, so

that the cam or incline may serve to throw 'the knuckle completely openby an easy movement and without unduly lengthening the transversedimension of the knuckle-tail. As in my invention, the knuckle-throwingleg of the lock extends throughlthe tailof the knuckle in the transverseslot therein. It also serves as a strong and efficient means for holdingthe knuckle in the draw-head independent of the pivot-pin in case thelatter should break, be removed, or become lost.

My invention further consists in connection with the before-mentionedparts, in providing the lock with a lock-set ledge or shoulder adaptedto engage the floor of the draw-head for setting orsupporting the lockin position for uncoupling. The lock is preferably provided with afurther lock-set ledge at the lower end of its knuckle-thrower leg. Thelock is further provided; with a lock-set ledge or shoulder adapted toengage the tail of the knuckle for supporting the lock when the knuckleis partially open. The rear arm or tail of the knuckle is furtherprovided with a ledge or shelf engaging the lower end of theknuckle-thrower leg of the lock to support the lock in its raisedposition when the knuckle is completely open.

My invention further consists in the novel construction of parts anddevices and in the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shownor described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a car-couplerembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the lock in itsraised position. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail horizontalsection on line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail horizontal section ofthe draw-head. Fig. 7 is a detail front elevation of the lock. Fig. 8 isa detail perspective view of the knuckle, and Fig. 9 is a detail sectionon line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

In the drawings, A represents the drawbar; B, the draw-head having thecustomary pivot-arm b and guard-arm b.

C is the pivot-pin, I) the knuckle, and F the gravity-lock, the samehaving a knucklethrowing leg f and a lock-set leg 7. The knuckle D hasthe customary front arm or nosed and rear arm or tail (1. The rear armor tail d of the knuckle has a transverselyeXtending slot or passage-way(Z to receive the knuckle-throwing leg of the lock F. This slot orpassage-way d in the knuckletail ispreferably curved about the pivot ofthe knuckle as a center and has a slight enlargement OZ in its frontwall (1 to permit the lock to tilt slightly forward at its lower end andbackward at its upper end to enable the lock-set shoulders or ledges f 2f on. the lock to properly engage the lock-set ledges or shoulders I) bin the bottom web or floor 5 of the draw-head adjacent to the openings bb therein, through which the knuckle-throwing and lock-set legs f f ofthe lock F project. The knuckle-tail d is also provided on the outer orpivot-pin side of the slot d with an upwardly-extending incline or cam0Z adapt ed to be engaged by the foot or projection f on theknuckle-throwing leg f of the lock F, and thus cause the knuckle to beautomatically thrown open when the lock is lifted to the requiredextent. The tail or rear arm (1 of the knuckle D is also furnished witha shelf or incline (1, adapted by its engagement with the lower end ofthe knuckle-throwing leg f to support the lock when the knuckle is open.The lower end of the knuckle-throwing leg f of the lock is provided witha beveled or inclined face f 5 to adapt it to properly ride up theincline or shelf d the knuckle swings open. The lock F is also providedwith a shoulder or ledgef, adapted to engage the knuckle-tail andsupport the knuckle thereon as the knuckle begins to swing open. Theknuckle D also has on its tail or rear arm a hook or projection d",which when the knuckle is closed engages the pro jection or shoulder bon the draw-head B, and thus affords an additional anchorage for holdingthe knuckle in the draw-head and in part relieving the pivot-pin C fromstrain. The foot or projection f on the knucklethrower leg f of the lockF not only serves by its engagement with the knuckle-tail toautomatically throw the knuckle open," but also serves as a means forpreventing the lock from being entirely removed from the coupler withoutfirst removing the pivot-pin O and taking the knuckle itself out. Inother words, it prevents the lock F from being raised too high. For thispurpose also the knuckle-throwing cam or incline d is furnished with anextension (i slightly beyond the point necessary for fully throwing theknuckle open, and which .by engagement with said foot or-projectionf ofthe lock prevents the lock from being removed when the knuckle isentirely open. The curved and inclined passage-way (Z in the front wallof the slot d in the knuckle-tail for the foot or projection f 4 of theknuckle-thrower leg f has an open mouth d, so that when the lock israised to the proper position and the pivotpin C removed the knuckle canbe removed from the draw-head and from its engagement with the lock-setleg f and footf This permits the ready removal of the parts and theireasy assembling. As the knuckle-throwing leg f of the lock F extendsthrough the knucof the knuckle-tail askletail,it affords a very firm andstrong ad ditional means for connecting the knuckle with the draw-head,and as the slot F in the lock F between the main portion of the lock andknuckle-throwing leg f fits closely the portion d of the knuckle-tailthus straddled by the lock and its knuckle-throwing leg the knucklecannot either open or be drawn out of the draw-head even if thepivot-pin C should break or be mischievously removed. My invention thusaffords great additional strength, security, and safety to the couplingand to the train connected thereby.

G is the lifting-lever connected by a chain or link 9 with the eye F ofthe lock F.

I claim 1. In a car-coupler, the combination with a forked draw-head, ofa knuckle having a transversely-extending curved slot in its rear arm ortail and provided with a knucklethrowing cam or incline, and avertically-movable lock having a knuckle-throwing leg fitting in saidtransverse slot of the knuckletail and furnished with a foot orprojection engaging said cam or incline to throw the knuckle open,substantially as specified.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head, of a knucklehaving a rear arm or tail furnished with a transversely-extending slot,and provided with a knucklethrowing cam or incline, and a lock having a'lock-set leg and a knuckle-throwing leg fitting astride a portion of theknuckle-tail, said knuckle-throwing leg fitting in said slot of theknuckle-tail and provided with a foot or projection engaging said cam orincline on the knuckle-tail to throw the knuckle open, saidknuckle-throwing leg passing through the knuckle-tail serving also as ameans for connecting the knuckle with the draw-head, substantially asspecified.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head having a reararm or tail furnished with a transverselyextending slot and with a camor incline, and a lock having a leg fitting in said slot of theknuckle-tail and furnished with a foot or projection en- IIC gaging saidcam or incline on the knuckle-tail to throw the knuckle open when thelock is lifted, the lower end of said lock-set leg being also adapted toengage the lower web or floor of the draw-head to set or hold the lockin position for uncoupling, substantially as specified.

4. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head having a reararm or tail furnished with a transversely-extending slot and with a camor incline, and a lock having a leg fitting in said slot of theknuckle-tail and furnished with a foot or projection engaging said camor incline on the knuckle-tail to throw the knuckle open when the lockis lifted, said lock having also a lock-set leg furnished with a ledgeor shoulder adapted to engage the lower web or fioor of the draw head tohold the lock in position for uncoupling, substantially as specified.

5. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head having a reararm or tail furnished with a transversely-extending slot and with a camor incline, and a lock having a leg fitting in said slot of theknuckle-tail and furnished with a foot or projection engaging saidcam orincline on the knuckle-tail to throw the knuckle open when the lock islifted, said lock having also a lock-set leg furnished with a ledge orshoulder adapted to engage the lower Web or floor of the drawhead tohold the lock in position for uncoupling, and thelower end of saidknuckle-throwing leg of the lock being also adapted to engage the lowerweb or floor of the draw-head for holding the lock in position foruncoupling, substantially as specified.

6. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head having a reararm or tail furnished with a transversely-extending slot and with a camor incline, and a lock having a leg fitting in said slot of theknuckle-tail and furnished with a foot or projection engaging said camor incline on the knuckle-tail to throw the knuckle open when the lockis lifted, said lock having a ledge or shoulder adapted to rest upon theknuckle-tail and support the lock when the knuckle begins to swing open,substantially as specified.

7. In a car-coupler, the combination with [I the draw-head having a reararm or tail furnished with a transversely-extending slot and with a camor incline, and a lock having a leg fitting in said slot of theknuckle-tail and furnished with a foot or projection engaging said camor incline on the knuckle-tail to throw the knuckle open when the lockis lifted, said knuckle-tail being provided with a ledge or shelfadapted to engage the lower end of said knuckle-thrower leg to supportthe lock in its raised position when the knuc- Fle is completely open,substantially as speciied.

8. In a car-coupler, the combination with the draw-head having arear armor tail fur nished with a transversely-extending slot and with a cam orincline, and a lock having a leg fitting in said slot of theknuckle-tail and furnished with a foot or projection engaging said camor incline on the knuckle-tail to throw the knuckle open when the lockis lifted, said knuckle-tail being provided with a ledge or shelfadapted to engage the lower end of said knuckle-thrower leg to supportthe lock in its raised position when the knuckle is completely open, andsaid ledge or shelf having an in clined upper face to adapt it to slipunder the lower end of said knuckle-thrower leg as the knuckle swingsopen, substantially as specified.

the draw-head having a rear arm or tail furnished with atransversely-extending slot and with a cam or incline, and a lock havinga leg fitting in said slot of the knuckle-tail and furnished with a footor projection engaging said cam or incline on the knuckletail to throwthe knuckle open when the lock is lifted, said knuckle-tail beingprovided with a ledge or shelf adapted to engage the lower end of saidknuckle-thrower leg to support the lock in its raised position when theknuckle is completely open, said ledge or shelf having an inclined upperface to adapt it to slip under the lower end of said knuckle-thrower legas the knuckle swings open, and the lower end of said knuckle-throwerleg being furnished iwigh an inclined face, substantially as speci- 1e10. In acar-coupler, the combination with a forked draw-head, of apivoted knuckle having a rear arm furnished with a slot, of a lockhaving a leg fitting in the slot in the rear arm of the knuckle, saidrear arm of the knuckle and said leg of the lock having interengagingintegral devices for throwing the knuckle open as the lock is lifted,and said rear arm of the knuckle having a shelf or device for supportingthe lock by engagement with said leg when the knuckle is fully open, andsaid leg of the lock and the draw-head having interengaging parts tosupport the lock in position for uncoupling, substantially as specified.

11. In a car-coupler, the combination with a forked draw-head, of apivoted knuckle having a slotted rear arm ,or tail, of a lock having twolegs, one of which passes through the slot in the knuckle-tail,substantially as specified.

12. In a car-coupler, the combination with a forked draw-head, ofa'pivoted knuckle having a slotted rear arm or tail, of a lock havingtwo legs, one of which passes through the slot in the knuckle-tail, saidlock and knuckle-tail having interengaging devices for throwing theknuckle open as the lock is lifted, substantially as specified.

13. In a car-coupler, the combination with a forked draw-head, of apivoted knuckle having a slotted rear arm or tail, of a lock having twolegs, one of which passes through the slot in the knuckle-tail, saidknuckle-tail having a cam or incline, and the leg of the lock passingthrough the knuckle-tail having a foot or projection engaging said camor in cline to throw the knuckle open, said foot or projection alsoserving to prevent the lock being removed or lifted too high,substantially as specified.

14. In a car-coupler, the combination with a forked draw-head, of apivoted knuckle having a slotted rear arm or tail, of a lock having twolegs, one of which passes through 9. In a car-coupler, the combinationwith the slot in the knuckle-tail, said knuckle-tail having a cam orincline, and the leg of the also serving to connect the knuckle to thelock passing through the knuckle-tail having draw-head, substantially asspecified. a foot or projection engaging said cam or incline to throwthe knuckle open, said foot or GUSTAF HERMANSON' 5 projection alsoserving to prevent the lock Witnesses:

being removed or lifted too high, said leg of H. M. MUNDAY,

the lock passing through the knuckletail WILLIAM A. GEIGER.

